Orion: part 2
Caroline
Oh, so now you show me what your ability looks like!
James
Just make this easy on both of us and try to not make a fuss.
I'm gonna destroy your Manifesto, then bring you to Dr. Sunshine.
You can explain what happened to him.
Caroline
If you're able to do it, then by all means go ahead!
Caroline lunges for James with Lyra grabbing Lacerta by the throat
James
Ack!
Caroline
Where's all that big talk now?
Not so cocky anymore, huh?
Don't worry, I'll beat you until you're on the brink of death, then I'll restore your body…then I'll repeat the process until I'm satisfied!
James
I-I…
Caroline
Hm?
What's that?
Are you trying to say something?
James
I-I'd be more careful if I were you.
Lacerta fires off a bullet into Lyra's chest
James
Hah!
Don't worry, that wound shouldn't hurt you too bad.
A Manifesto is only as strong as its connection to its user.
The tradeoff is the users of powerful Manifestos take more damage from blows dealt to the Manifesto.
But judging by that attack you launched…
…you've never used your Manifesto in a fight before.
You still don't grasp how these things work.
Lacerta and I have honed our skills in countless battles against other Manifestos.
You're just a drop of rain in the ocean of Manifesto users.
James fires off another bullet into Lyra's leg
James
I've fought more powerful foes, and yet I'm still standing.
Lyra throws a punch at James, but Lacerta catches it
James
C'mon, you gotta try harder than that–
Caroline punches James across the jaw
Caroline
You talk too much!
This is a fight!
Why aren't you actually doing anything!?
Is this the tradeoff you talked about?
You said your Manifesto's strength was forged through battle, so would it be a safe assumption that you take more damage from my attacks than I would to yours?
And you're right, I'm new to fighting with Lyra…
…but I have plenty of experience in fist fights!
James
(Fuck! That hurt! And it wasn't a hit on Lacerta that can heal!)
(This will leave an impact!)
Caroline
What I'm getting at is you have to defend on two fronts, whereas I can send Lyra to attack your Manifesto while I attack you!
Caroline and Lyra charge at James
Lyra gets hit to the ground by Lacerta's tail
Caroline
I've got you, douchebag–
Caroline stops in place
James
Word of advice from one fighter to another…
…when you have a strategy in a fight, don't spell it out for your opponent…
Lacerta steps onto Lyra, pinning it in place
James
…By explaining it to them, you're giving them a chance to come up with a counter to it.
You want to keep the upper hand at all times.
Now, I'm gonna make you regret insulting me and my friend.
I don't care if you're a woman, or a doctor…
Lacerta fires a bullet into Lyra
James
…anyone who insults the people close to me gets taught a lesson.
Lacerta fires off another bullet
James
Ask the gangster "Mad Dog Sinatra" of the crime family Casa Dei Re, or ask the serial killer and arsonist "Chuck Berry".
Lacerta fires another bullet as Caroline begins to cry
James
Both of them attacked me, and neither one of them is still breathing.
Caroline's eyes widen
James looks at her, realizes what he said and throws her to the ground
James
I'm sorry…
I went too far again…
I-I don't know what's happening to me lately…
I'm not myself…
I'll be leaving now before I do anything else…
Caroline is on the floor, gasping for air
Caroline
(Who was that guy!?)
(He comes in here, questions me, picks a fight, then leaves.)
(I swear, this city is full of weirdos…)
(...but it's my duty as a doctor to help people, oddball or not.)
James opens the door and steps outside
James
(Get a hold of yourself, Spectre!)
(What's wrong with you!)
(You almost did "it" again!)
(How can you kill a person on accident?!)
(You can't!)
(I'm truly a monster, that's the only explanation!)
(No decent human would kill and hurt as much as I do…)
As James walks on the steps, he steps on a trip wire, causing brick from above to fall on him
James
!
(A trip wire?!)
James looks up and sees the bricks
James
!!!
LACERTA!!!
Lacerta breaks all of the bricks
Caroline
What! Was hurting me not enough for you!
You have to go and damage my building as well!?
James
It wasn't me!
It was a trap that was set!
But who would've done that?
I could've sworn this trap wasn't here earlier…
Caroline
Eh?
Trap?
What do you mean "trap"?
I don't see any–
Lyra steps on another trip-wire as syringes launch at her from inside
James
!
LACERTA!!!
Lacerta breaks the syringes before they hit her
Caroline
Huh?!
How'd that happen!?
Where'd they come from!?
James
It's because you stepped on that trip-wire.
Someone's set traps all throughout this place…
Caroline
Don't look at me!
Why would I boobytrap my own sanitarium!?
I'm a doctor who goes out of her way to help people!
Why would I try to kill them with flying syringes!?
James
I wasn't accusing you, I was merely letting you know.
Caroline
We're both in this mess, we should try to get along
James
Or, you stay back and let me deal with this.
Here's the plan, because we don't know if we can trust Dr. Sunshine–
Caroline
We can't.
James
Fine, assuming we can't trust dr. Sunshine, he knows you work in Alphabet St. which is how I found out about you.
So Alphabet St. isn't safe, meaning we need somewhere to hide out.
Caroline
If someone is really hunting us down, is there anywhere we could go?
The police wouldn't be any help, Dr. Sunshine's rich enough he could definitely pay them to look the other way.
Do you have an office?
You're a detective, so you must have somewhere you work, right?
James
I do, but it's a small wooden apartment, I don't think it would provide much security…
Caroline
Where should we go then?
James
There's one place in New York where even the patrons are so unfriendly that they'll refuse to help anyone with anything.
Caroline
That-that doesn't sound like a good thing
James
It's normally not, but considering someone is following us, we can try to shake him off our trail and then hide there until he comes out into the open.
Caroline
So we're gonna use ourselves as bait to trick an assassin into falling for our trap.
James
Pretty much.
Sound good?
Caroline smiles
Caroline
It's dumb, it sounds like a terrible plan…
…but terrible plans are the best kind!
Sounds good to me pal!
James
Heh, glad we're in agreement.
Caroline
What's the name of this joint?
James
It's called the "Fish in a Birdcage," it's run by someone called Mother Mother.
Caroline
Is-is that his real name?
James
Considering drugs and many other illegal services are exchanged through his establishment, I'm willing to wager it's not his actual name.
To reach the Fish in a Birdcage, we'll need to get to the other side of the city safely.
It will be pretty dangerous because we're going to be cutting through Central Park.
Caroline
Wouldn't it be better to take alleyways so he couldn't see us?
James
Normally, I'd agree with you. However, because our plan is to lure our friend out into the open, it's better if we're in an open environment where he'll be as open as us.
Besides, in Central Park, because it's such an open space, it would be impossible for him to already have traps set.
Caroline
I guess that makes sense…
…but are we sure trapping is the only way this guy will attack us?
James
If this is who I think it is, then we can be sure.
Caroline
That makes it sound like you already know this guy, do you have a history?
James
Not exactly, my work requires me to visit many seedy places, and in those dens, gossip and rumours tend to spread like wildfire…
…across the city, there's a rumour about an assassin named "Orion."
This man named after the hunter from Greek myths hunts down his prey using only traps.
Caroline
With traps?
But, if he only uses traps, how come he hasn't been caught?
James
Because–I'm not sure how–but he turns everyday objects and appliances into deadly traps.
He lulls prey into a false sense of security in their own homes, and then attacks them when they least suspect it.
Caroline
And you think this guy is after us?
James
I'm certain.
The chapter ends on a wanted poster of Orion, with him tearing it down